Bitting my 2yo

[velocette]

Hello all, I am a new user to the forums having recently bought myself a 2yo Cob x WB.

I have been working with her in the stable and in hand and we are making some progress in the training stakes.

She will be 3 in October and I am hoping to have her lightly backed this summer and into more serious work next year.

I have been looking around for info about bitting a young horse and there is a lot of conflicting advice out there!! I was initially thinking I would get a rubber straight bar for her to get used to something in her mouth but I am on a limited budget and don't really want to have to buy more bits than I really need.

I have seen some folk saying they would use a snaffle or french link, just wonderd what you all thought about going straight to this with my girl or is it really better to get her started in a rubber type??

thanks for any thought/advice

Velocette x

 

[Irishlife]

If my young horses are going showing I mouth them in a nylon bit as yearlings. Any older I use a straight bar happy mouth with the ridges which they love and can chew to their heart's content. I think it is lighter and sits better in a young mouth. I used to use a traditional breaking bit with keys but I am not convinced of their value. Also the happy mouth is a nice bit to ride them on in.

The nylon, rubber bits are warmer too and you are less likely to give them a sock in the teeth if you do run into problems whereas a metal bit can do damage and put them off.

This is my metod and I am sure there are plenty more out there.

 

[3Beasties]

Hi, Welcome to the forum

I'm sure someone with more knowledge will give you some better advise but I bitted my youngster a few weeks ago. She is about 18 months old.

I used a happy mouth snaffle with a roller link and she took to it absolutely fine, it may not be the type of bit all the books suggests but I still feel it is a nice kind bit that has made her first experience a nice one, she wasn't fazed by it at all.

Here is a piccys of her just after being 'bitted'

 

[teddyt]

I hate the straight bar nylon bits- they are rock hard and not a nice shape so are very uncomfortable. Key bits are equally useless imo, very uncomfortable and not compatible with mouth conformation. They also encourage fussing more

You need to look at your horses mouth conformation to see what would suit him. But most horses can take a thin mouth french link/lozenge, with or without a loose ring. Dont worry if the horse fusses, its just getting used to the bit. Dont be tempted to shut the mouth up.

 

[Alexart]

Hi welcome to the forum, I used a french link snaffle on my youngster and he was fine with it - I didn't like the happy mouth - neither of my youngsters liked it at all.
Just wondering you said your youngster is 3 this autumn so is only 2 and a half at the moment - I wouldn't be backing until next year at the very earliest especially since it is a WB X cob which are both slower maturing types - I don't even lightly back mine until 3 and a half at the very earliest but usually wait till they are 4, as it ruins their joints and predisposes them to OCD - we just long line and work in hand, there's no point rushing it with babies especially if you are wanting a long sound working life with them.

 

[sugarlump121]

My boy is 3 in April and he's not had a bit in his mouth yet.

I plan to bit him this year, I brought a rubber straight and very soft and bendy bit afew months ago as I'd not seen one for sale for ages so got it when I saw it. However his mouth looks little even though he's a chunky boy so Im going to speak to the dentist at the end of the month when she comes so I can choose a bit that suits the shape of his mouth on the inside. Im in no rush to bit him though so no probs if she says his mouth isn't quite ready yet.

 

[shadowboy]

I'm with alexart - rising 3 is a bit young- I accidently backed a rising 3 year old WB x ID (slow growing breeds) due to a passport mix up (thought he was nearly 4) and the pressure of the work - and it was incredibly light hacking work and im incredibly light for a horse of his built- even so he had a stress fracture of the hock. I use the thin showing, nylon bits for bitting as they are small enough not to get in the way of horses with fat tongues, they are also warm, easy to coat in honey (how I get them to be happy with the bit- never had a problem with this ever- all my horses are eager to take the bit lol) and if you want to show her in-hand this is what you would use. However large thin nylon bits are incredibly hard to find- I had to import mine. If you cant find one - I would use a copper mouth peanut snaffle. The copper is a warmer, tastier bit and the peanut relieves pressure from the toung whislt being mild and encourages the hourse to mouth the bit. Again never had preblems with horses not wanting to accept a copper mouth- but each horse is different so take a look at the thickness of the tongue and shape of the roof of the mouth before your final purchase. Good Luck

 

[velocette]

Thanks for all the comments and advice it's very interesting Reading! Like I thought with most things, everyone has different ideas, experiences and preferences. I will have a good think before I jump in with any big decisions. This is my first youngster so want to get it right where possible.

 

[UnaB]

I bitted my girl at about 18 months old as she had to have a bit for the Keuring, it was a bit earlier than i would have chosen to do it but it went with no problems. I used a french link snaffle with a thin mouthpiece and she was fine with it. I just put the bridle on for a few mins the first session, gradually building up to her having it on for about 20 mins after a few days while i was grooming her/mucking out.

IMO the most important thing is getting the correct width mouthpiece. I recently tried riding my girl in a nice thick snaffle as i was told these mouthpieces were milder and she has a really soft mouth and is very responsive so i wanted the kindest bit. She absolutely hated it, shook her head, foamed at the mouth and leaned on the bit. Turns out she has quite a large tongue for the size of her mouth so the thick mouthpiece was uncomfortable for her. I've gone back to the thin mouthpiece i bitted her in and she is back to being happy with it. So, just something you might want to consider looking into to make sure the process is as stress-free as possible for your horse.

 

[Toast]

i tried my youngster in a nylon bitas a yearling and he hated it! seemed to cope with it until i asked him to go forward. Took him to one show wearing it and he wouldnt move. Took it out and he flew round the ring. I wondered whether it was purely because he was young, so ive left him for now and will put something with a link in the middle because i dont think he liked the fact it was a straight bar. He only has a tiny mouth! He's 20 months now and i think i will try to bit him again this year and see how things go. When i back him i'll most likely use an happy mouth of some sort.
x

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

if not 3 til oct (an extremely late foal) yes you could mouth it in a soft synthetic snaffle, but i wouldnt even consider backing it til 3 and a half. give it time to grow and mature. yes keep on mannering it, will make the job easier but allow it its childhood. cobs mature slightly quicker. warmbloods are slow maturing. yours wont reach full height and strength til 5 and a half to 6 years old.

 

[irishdraft]

I bitted my youngsters as 2yo's one of them had a rubber snaffle which he proceeded to chew thru in about 5 mins, so changed to a thin ironmouth french link with a copper lozenge, fine with that, the other one had a loose ring snaffle, absolutely fine. I will be lightly backing and hacking this year as 3 yolds one is already 17hh the other 16hh so imo you need to start doing a little light work for a few weeks.

 

[eggs]

Unless I am showing one of the youngsters I do not bit them until I come to back them - usually at 3.

I do not think you gain anything by bitting them early as long as they have had good, consistent handling. I like the babies to be babies and spend as much time out in the field as possible.

I always get my EDT to check their teeth before bitting them.

I generally use a fairly narrow french link with full cheeks to start them off although it does depend on the individual horse.